Machine for uncoiling and straightening metal strips.



- J. F. KITCHEN. MACHINE FOR UNGOILING AND STRAIGHTENING METAL STRIPS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1912.

1,047,240. Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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J. P. KITCHEN. MAGEINE FOR UNGOILING AND STRAIGHTENING METAL STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2, 1912.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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ATEN FFTQE.

JOHN F. KITCHEN, 0F MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPIRELLA COMPANY, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR UNCOILING AND STRAIGHTENING METAL STRIPS.

Application filed January 2, 1912.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, JOHN F. KIToHnN, a resident of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Uncoiling and Straightening Metal Strips, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine or device for straightening metal strips and more particularly for taking out edgewise curvatures in flat metal strips, such, for instance, as fiat fabric made of bent wire and adapted to be afterward cut into suitable lengths for garment stays.

The object of the invention is to provide a suitable and easily adjusted device for relieving such strips of all edgewise curvature, and which has a large output.

. The invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, partly in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the arm being shown turned down to horizontal position; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 33, Fig. 2, certain parts being omitted; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line 55, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a side View, showing modifications; and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional -view on the line 7-7, Fig. 6.

The frame of the device comprises a suit able standard 1 adapted to be secured to a suitable base plate or support 2 and having a circular portion or hub 3 on which is mounted for angular adjustment an arm 4 carrying one of the guide members and the traction or pulling rollers, a suitable shoulder 42 being provided on the standard to serve as a stop for limiting the movement of the arm. The hub 3 is provided with a central opening 5 into the outer end of which projects a spindle 6 carrying a small grooved roller 7, said spindle being held in place by means of set screw 8. Secured to the outer face of the standard 1 at one side and at a lower level than the roller 7, is a stationary guide 10 which is also provided with a groove 11 alined with the groove in the roller 7.

The arm 4 has a split portion passing over hub 3 of the standard and is adapted to be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee.17, 1912.

Serial No. 669,089.

frictionally clamped thereon by being provided with ears 13 for receiving a clamping screw or bolt 14. By this means, the arm can be clamped on the hub 3 with suflicient friction to hold it in any position to which it is moved. This arm carries a suitable grooved guide 15 arranged on the side of roller 7 opposite to that on which stationary guide 10 is located, the guide 15 is angularly adjustable in order to deflect the strip 16 to various angles in order to take out the bends or curves therein. This guide is secured by any suitable means as, for example, bolt and nut 18, in one end of link or plate 19 which is pivotally secured by means of bolt and nut 20 to a boss 4 on the arm 4. The bolts and nuts 18 and 20 hold the parts by frictionally clamping them, thus permitting said parts to be adjusted to any desired degree.

The arm 4 is moved to any desired angular position by merely applying suitable force thereto such as to handle 22 secured thereto. This serves to angularly adjust guide 15 in order to impart the necessary bend to the strip being straightened. To accommodate strips of slightly different widths and to take up wear, the plate or link 19 is angularly adjusted on arm 4 by loosening and tightening bolt and nut 20, while by adjusting bolt and nut 18, the guide 15 is angularly adjustable on said plate or link 19 to keep its face in proper alinement with the axis of the strip being straightened. For the same reasons, the guide 10 is rotatably adjustable, to a limited extent, around its securing bolt.

The outer end of arm 4 is enlarged and forms suitable bearings for the spindles 24 of a pair of traction or pulling rollers 25, 26 between which the strip passes and by means of which it is pulled through the straightening members. The rollers 25, 26. are driven in unison by having secured to the opposite ends of their spindles a pair of intermeshing gears 27, 28, and one of said spindles also has secured thereto a sheave 29 or other wheel for receiving a belt or chain 30 passing over a double driving shaft or wheel 31 mounted on a reduced port-ion 32 of the hub 3 and held thereon by means of washer 84 and screw 35. The driving sheave or wheel 81 is mounted concentric with the axis on which the arm 4 is angularly adjustable and consequently, the rollers 25 and 26 are positively driven no matter what the angular position of arm 4:- The traction or pulling rollers 25, 26 are preferably adjustable in order to secure the necessary traction or pull upon the strip. To this end the bearing 43 at the outer end of the upper roller 25 is vertically movable in a guideway 44 in the enlargement of arm 4, and said bearing is adjusted by means of a spring 45 and screw 46 extending through a threaded opening in the cover plate 47. Other adjusting means will readily suggest themselves. A suit-able guide for the strip being straightened is provided in advance of the pulling or traction rollers 25, 26, this being shown as an opening 37 in the handle 22.

In the use of the device, the strip is passed edgewise through the grooved guides 10 and 15 and grooved roller 7 and is thence given a partial twist and passed through guide 37 and flat-wise between the traction rollers 25, 26. WVhen ower is applied, the traction rollers pull the strip through the straightening device at a high speed and straighten the same. The operator watches the process and perceiving variations of the resiliency of the metal or differences therein due to other causes, adjusts the arm t to such position as to take out the curvature in the strip. This adjustment is effected by merely applying force to the handle 22, the other parts remaining in adjusted position by the frictional connections described.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification in the arrangement of the traction rollers. In this case they are carried either above or below the axis of arm 4: so that the strip to be straightened passes partly around one of the rollers before passing between the same. Also as shown herein, a small guide or roller 40 is mounted on the arm to guide the strip on the face of the rollers. One of these rollers, such as 26, is grooved or provided with flanges, while the other roller 25 enters said groove as will be readily understood from Fig. 7. The roller 25 is arranged to be adjustable toward and from the roller 26 by substantially the same means as shown in the preferred form, and said rollers are geared together and driven in the same manner as the traction rollers in the preferred form. In this form, the handle 22 is formed on the end of arm 4:.

The device described is of simple and sub stantial construction, can be readily adjusted, effectively takes out all edgewise curvatures from the strip and has a large capacity for output. The wearing parts are so arranged that they can be readily renewed and the adjustment can be effected readily and in very slight steps or to slight degrees without stopping the operation.

What I claim is 1. In a device for straightening metal strips, the combination of a base, a pair of spaced grooved guides arranged on one side of the course of the strip, a grooved guide arranged on the other side of the course of the strip between said spaced guides, the grooves of said guides being alined with each other, one of said spaced guides and said last named guide being mounted on said base, and an arm carrying the other of said pair of spaced guides and angularly adjustable on said base, one of said spaced guides being adjustable toward and from the guide between said spaced guides to accommodate strips of different widths.

2. In a device for straightening metal strips, the combination of a base, a pair of spaced guides arranged on one side of the course of the strip, a circular guide arranged on the other side of the course of the strip, one of said spaced guides and said circular guide being mounted on the base, and an arm carrying the other of said spaced guides and being angularly adjustable on an aXis concentric to the circular faced guide, said other spaced guide being adjustable on said arm toward and from said circular guide to accommodate strips of difierent sizes.

3. In a device for straightening metal strips, the combination of a base, a pair of spaced guides arranged on one side of the course of the strip, a guide arranged on the other side of the course of said strip between said spaced gnides, said last named guide and one of said spaced guides being mounted on said base, an arm angularly adjustable on said base and carrying the other of said spaced guides, together with driven rollers mounted on said arm and arranged to draw the strip through said guides.

4:. In a device for removing edgewise curvature from metal strips, the combination of a base, a circular straightening member mounted thereupon, an arm angularly adjustable on said base on an axis concentric to said circular straightening member, a stationary straightening member secured to said base, and a third straightening member carried by said arm, said members having alined grooves and said third member being adjustable on its arm in the plane of curvature of said strip to accommodate strips of different widths.

5. In a device for straightening metal strips, the combination of a base, a circular straightening member mounted thereon, an arm angularly adjustable on said base, a link pivotally and adjustably connected to said arm, and a straightening member having a straight guiding portion and cooperating with said circular member pivotally mounted on said link to vary its distance from said circular member and its alinement with said arm.

6. In a device for straightening metal strips, the combination 'of a base, an arm angularly adjustable thereon, traction rollers mounted in the end of said arm, a straightening member mounted on the base concentric with the axis ofthe arm pivot, a pair of cooperating straightening members, one being secured to said base and the other adjustable on said arm, and friction means for holding said arm in adjusted position. 7. In a device for straightening metal strips, the combination of a base, an arm angularly adjustable thereon, a pair of driven rollers mounted in the end of said arm, driving means for said rollers mounted on the base concentric with the axis of the arm pivot, friction means for holding said arm in adjusted position and three straightening members, one thereof mounted on the base concentric with the axis of the arm pivot, another thereof mounted on the base on the opposite side of the course of the strip, and the third mounted on said arm and angularly adjustable therewith.

8. In a device for straightening metal strips, the combination of a base, a pair of spaced guides arranged on one side of the course of the strip, a guide arranged on the other side of the course of the strip between said spaced guides, said last named guide and one of said spaced guides being mounted on said base, an arm angularly adjustable on said base around the guide between said spaced guides, driven traction rollers mounted on said arm and adjustable therewith and arranged to draw the strip through said guides, the spaced guide nearest said traction rollers being adjustable to direct the strip from the guide between said spaced guides to said traction rollers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN F. KITCHEN. Witnesses:

C. E. LEFFEL,

M. M. BEEMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

